Bless the Broken Road
by YanksLuver
Summary: After five years, Vaughn returns from the dead to find Sydney married and raising their daughter with Will. SydVaughn POV
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: Bless the Broken Road  
**Author**: Steph  
**Rating**: PG  
**POV**: Sydney/Vaughn  
**Pairing**: Syd/Vaughn, Syd/Will, Weiss/Vaughn friendship  
**Category**: Romance/Drama  
**Disclaimer**: I do this out of a love for the show. No infringement is intended.  
**Spoilers**: General season 5.  
**Summary**: After five years, Vaughn returns from the dead to find Sydney married and raising their daughter with Will.

**Note**: I've been dying to write something for a while and I was finally inspired. This switches back and forth between Sydney and Vaughn's POV. Hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you thought. Steph

**Bless the Broken Road: Part 1/3**

I watch as she chases a butterfly, her soft brown curls flowing behind her. She smiles as she catches it in her tiny hands. She runs over to her mother to share her prize. Her mother smiles, one that reaches her eyes, and pulls her daughter onto her lap.

God, they're beautiful together. More beautiful than I ever imagined they could be. And I've had a lot of time to imagine.

Sydney strokes our daughter's hair, as she rocks her back and forth. Isabel peeks at the treasure in her hands and then opens them, allowing the creature freedom.

I came here to make sure they were okay. I needed to know they're okay. They seem happy. That's all I ever wanted for them.

I should leave it at that. I have no right to interrupt their lives after all this time. It was never my intention to. But now that I've seen them, seen Sydney again, my daughter for the first time, I know I can't just walk away from them.

It's selfish, I know. Sydney's moved on. She's made a life for herself and our daughter. I know a little about moving on. I know how hard it is. And I know how difficult it can be to have your past resurface. I also know that no matter how hard it was having Sydney come back into my life, I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. The day I found out she was alive was the happiest of my life.

I want to know my daughter. I've spent five years dreaming about her. I tried to imagine what she looked like. She had Sydney's brown hair and beautiful smile and my green eyes. The little girl sitting yards away from me looks as if she was lifted from my dreams.

I tried to imagine what she was like. If she was funny, what she liked to do. I've waited so long for this.

But can I do it? Can I just blow apart their lives? Is it fair to them? Isabel has a right to know her real father. From the information I've gathered since my release, I know Sydney got married two years ago, when Isabel was three. He's the only father she's ever known. And his name is Will Tippin.

Sydney married Will. The thought makes my insides burn. I wonder if she fell in love with him or if she just wanted a nice, stable life for her and her daughter with someone she trusted and cared for. She never felt that way about Will, even though he'd always been in love with her. Could that have changed? After Sydney came back and we were sorting through our problems, she paid Will a visit. She told me later that they slept together. So maybe there was something there.

It doesn't really matter. They're married and I have to respect that. But Isabel's my daughter and I can't ignore that. I can't walk away from her, no matter how hard this may prove to be.

* * *

"Isabel!" I yell through the bathroom door. "Honey, hurry up. We're going to be late."

"I'm making myself beautiful," she replies.

I raise an eyebrow at Will. "Is it possible she's already a teenager?"

Will smiles. "I've heard five is the new fifteen." He then raises his hand to knock on the door. "Come on, sweetheart. You're going to be late for school."

The door opens to reveal Isabel dressed in a plaid skirt and polka dot shirt. She rolls her eyes, "Who cares? Kindergarten is so boring. They make us sing all of these stupid alphabet songs."

I sigh. What a character. Smart as a whip, wise beyond her years, and stubborn as a goat.

"Sweetie, we've been through this. You just have to give it a chance."

"It's been a month, Mom, and we're still on the letter 'A'."

I shake my head and take her hand in mine. "Come on, let's go."

"No, I want to go to work with you."

Will sighs. "Isabel, you can't go to work with Mommy. She needs to concentrate so she can teach college kids."

"I'll take you with me the next time you have a day off," I reply. "I promise."

"Okay," she says grudgingly.

"Go get your lunch and backpack and meet me at the front door."

Isabel runs off and I turn to Will. "If this is five what exactly can we expect from her teenage years?"

"This but a whole lot worse?" he replies.

I smile, "Great." I then give him a quick kiss on the lips. "See you tonight."

I walk downstairs to the kitchen in search of my purse and keys. Just then, the doorbell rings. "Isabel, honey, answer that for Mommy please."

"Okay," she says.

I hear the door creak open. Isabel appears in the kitchen doorway a moment later.

"Mommy, there's some man at the door. He says he's an old friend of yours."

Oh great, like I have time for old friends right now.

"He looks kind of familiar, Mommy. I think I've seen him before."

I finally locate my purse and keys. I take Isabel's hand in mine and head towards the foyer. I don't make it more than a few feet before the sight of him stops me in my tracks.

"Vaughn," I breathe.

"Hello, Sydney," he says, his lips forming into the smile I thought was lost forever.

"Hey, Syd, who was at the-..." Will stops halfway down the stairs, looking up from his task of tying his tie, his eyes landing on Vaughn.

"Oh my God," he says.

Is it possible? Can this actually be him standing in front of me?

I drop my purse and keys and rush towards the door. I wrap my arms around his neck and squeeze my eyes shut, hoping he isn't a figment of my imagination. I feel his strong arms wrap around me and it's as if they never let go.

"I can't believe it's really you," I whisper, as I bury my face into his neck and inhale his scent. God, I've missed him. How is this even possible?

I slowly release my hold on him when I feel a tug at my shirt.

"Mommy, I'm going to be late for school."

I look down at my...our...daughter and wipe a tear from cheek. "Honey, you're not going to school today."

Her face lights up. "Yes!"

* * *

God, I can't believe I got to hold her in my arms again. Nothing has ever felt so good. And I got to come face-to-face with my little girl. 

Sydney backs up and shakes her head. "I'm sorry. Please, come in."

I enter the house, taking in my surroundings as I do so. It's a simple home, decorated in warm earth tones and comfortable furniture. There are family pictures on the walls. It feels like a happy home.

Will makes his way all the way down the stairs and stretches his hand out to me. "Vaughn...Man, I can't believe it."

I nod. I feel guilty for how I feel towards Will now. I always liked him. I even felt bad for him, loving Sydney and not have it reciprocated. And now here he is living the life that should have been mine. I should be grateful to him for taking care of my daughter, for helping Sydney move on. But I can't find it in me. I can't help but resent him, no matter how unfair that may be.

Sydney touches my arm to gain my attention. "Let's go talk in the living room. Isabel, please go to your room and play."

"But I want to know who he is."

"We'll talk later, honey."

"I want to know now!" I smile as I realize our daughter inherited Sydney's stubborn streak, too.

"Isabel," Sydney says warningly.

"Fine," she relents begrudgingly and runs up the stairs.

Will shifts his feet uncomfortably and hooks his thumb in the direction Isabel went in. "You know what? You guys deserve your privacy. I'm going to go play with Isabel."

I shake my head. "Will, you don't have to do that. This concerns you, too."

Will looks down at this feet. "No, you guys need to be alone," he replies. He then looks up at me and smiles. He somehow manages to make it seem genuine. "I'm really glad you're back." He then walks off.

* * *

I can't stop staring at him. I can't take my eyes off of him. I've missed his face so much. His knee-weakening smile, his piercing green eyes. I had long ago resigned myself to the fact that I would only see that smile and those eyes in my dreams and photographs. 

I slip my hand into his, marveling at how well it still fits. He meets my eyes, apparently surprised by the gesture. I lead him into the living room and we sit down on the couch. I keep my hand entwined with his, unwilling to let go.

I look up into his eyes. "How is this possible, Vaughn?"

He swallows hard and lowers his eyes. "Remember at the hospital when they brought me that thing to drink?" I nod. "Well, apparently whatever it was mimics death. It brought my vitals so low I flatlined and it looked as if I had died. The Prophet Five guys then came in and switched my body with a look-a-like."

I shake my head. "Why? What did they want?"

"They took me to some underground hell hole. They questioned me, tortured me, ran all kinds of tests. They were convinced that my father had implanted information about Prophet Five into my subconscious before he died." He shakes his head and rubs at his eyes tiredly. "Five years, Syd. They did this to me for five years."

I squeeze his hand in mine, as I blink back tears. I place my hand on his cheek and caress it. "Oh my God, Vaughn. I am so sorry." I pause and then eye him. "So how did you get away?"

He shakes his head. "I didn't. They let me go two weeks ago."

I shake my head. "I don't understand. They held you for five years and then they let you go just like that."

He nods. "I guess they decided that if they hadn't found anything in five years then there must be nothing to find. My father never would have done that to me, Syd. Implant information to keep it safe from them. He never would have endangered my life like that."

"I don't understand. Why didn't they just kill you then?"

He shrugs. "I don't know. Maybe they're not completely satisfied that I don't know anything, so they kept me alive just in case. I've spent the last two weeks making sure I'm not being surveilled. I didn't want to endanger you and Isabel."

I shake my head and wipe at a tear. "I can't believe you're really here. You have no idea how much I've missed you."

He smiles sadly. "I think I have some idea."

I nod, remembering how he had to deal with my apparent death all of those years ago. I guess we've reversed roles now. I'm the one who's moved on and now he's the one who has to deal with it. The difference being this time there's a child involved.

* * *

I swallow around the lump in my throat. "I missed you so much, Sydney. The only thing that got me through those five years was thinking of you and our daughter. I can't believe I've missed out on so much of her life. I was so excited about going through each stage of pregnancy with you, watching our daughter grow inside of you. I've missed so much. Her birth, her first word, her first step, her first day of school." 

I blink back tears and look at Sydney, "Is she happy? That's all I've ever wanted for you two."

Sydney nods. "She is. We both are."

My heart drops and I hate myself for it. I told myself that it was enough to know they were happy. But knowing they're happy with Will instead of me feels like a knife slicing right through my heart.

I take a deep breath. "Good, I'm glad. I'm glad Will helped you move on."

"He's been great. He adores Isabel and she adores him," she says, her eyes unable to meet mine and see them flood with hurt.

I nod and clear my throat. I touch her face so she'll look at me. "Syd, I want you to know that I didn't come back here to interrupt your life. I can see you and Isabel are happy. In fact, I considered not letting you know I was alive at all. I needed to see you and Isabel, to make sure you were really okay. So I watched you in the park. I told myself that would have to be enough. That it wasn't fair to do this to you two after all this time. But I couldn't walk away."

Sydney's eyes darken and her jaw tightens. "How could you even consider not letting us know you're alive! God, Vaughn, after all we've been through. Yes, we've moved on, I've moved on. But it's not like I had a choice. I had a daughter to think about. But that doesn't mean I haven't missed you everyday for the last five years."

I'm surprised by her reaction. I swallow hard. "I was thinking of you and Isabel. About what was best for you."

"And how could you think that believing you were dead was best for us?"

"Sydney, I remembered what you coming back did to me. I was married, but seeing you again...The feelings I felt for you came rushing back, but there was nothing I could do about them. I know how much it hurt me to have to deny all of that and it killed me to hurt you. You're married, Syd. I guess I just didn't want to put you through the same thing. And maybe I didn't want to put myself through it either."

She shakes her head, unable to understand. "What changed your mind?"

"When I saw you and Isabel, I knew I couldn't walk away. I remembered that despite all of the pain we went through back then, the day I found out you were still alive was the happiest of my life. I couldn't decide what was best for you and Isabel."

I pause and meet her gaze. "I want to know my daughter. I realize Will is the only father she's ever known and I respect that. I'm grateful to him for what he's done for her. But I want to spend time with her, get to know her. You don't have to tell her I'm her father. You could just say I'm a family friend. I want to disrupt her life as little as possible."

Sydney shakes her head. "Will's not the only father she's ever known. I've told her about you since before she was born. I tell her stories and show her pictures."

My brow furrows. "But she didn't know it was me at the door."

Sydney smiles. "She said you looked familiar. She's five and I don't think she expected you to show up on her doorstep. She hasn't made the connection yet. You're her father, Vaughn, and she deserves to know you as that."

I nod.

* * *

I watch as he clears his throat and looks down at his hands. "So, you and Will. You've been married two years, right?" 

I bob my head. "Our anniversary was last week."

He nods uncomfortably. "Not that it's any of my business, but how did that come about?"

I pause. I don't want to hurt him. And seeing him again has made everything I felt for him come rushing back. But I am married.

"I left APO after Isabel was born. It was determined that there was no longer any threat to Will's safety, so he moved back here. We resumed our friendship. He was very supportive. I was scared about raising Isabel on my own and Will helped me see I could do it. He helped me through a lot. I wanted Isabel to have the stable family life I never had. I wanted her to have a loving home with a father and a mother. I've always trusted Will, so we decided to get married."

His gaze focuses on mine and he asks softly, "Are you in love with him?"

I lower my eyes. I love Will. I always have. But I've never been in love with him. I've never felt for him what I felt for Vaughn. After Vaughn died, I resigned myself to the fact that I'd never find that kind of love again. It only happens once in a lifetime. He was my soulmate and I thought I'd lost him forever. So, I decided it was best to focus on what was best for my daughter. I married Will. Will knew I wasn't in love with him, but I think he thought that in time I might fall in love with him. I felt bad because I knew Will had always been in love with me. I felt like I was taking advantage of that. I felt like I was using him. But we have built a happy life together, a life filled with love. It's not the kind of love I had and it's not the kind of love Will deserves, but it's love all the same.

"He's my husband," I reply.

His lips curl into the tiniest of smiles and I notice his chest deflate, as if in relief.

* * *

I guess I have my answer. She's not in love with him. I remember saying the same thing when asked about Lauren. I was never in love with Lauren. I thought I was, but Sydney made me remember what really being in love feels like. Sydney may love Will, but she's not in love with him. And that fills me with hope. 

Maybe that's wrong, but I can't help it. I can't act like my feelings for Sydney have disappeared and I know hers for me haven't either. We were engaged. We were going to have a baby together. We'd be a family right now if circumstances beyond our control hadn't changed all of that. How can I not hope when hope's the only thing that saw me through this?

They never gave me any updates on her life, except for one. They told me she gave birth to our daughter, Isabel, because I asked. I didn't know she married Will until I was released. I didn't expect her to just sit around mourning my 'death'. I knew she'd move on eventually, but I didn't allow myself to think about it. I couldn't. I had to believe she was out there waiting or I never would have made it out.

It's different than what Sydney went through when she came back. She had no memory of her two years. It was as if she had just woken up after a night's sleep. Not for me. I spent more than five years thinking about her, dreaming about our child.

"Vaughn," she says softly, pulling me from my thoughts.

I shake my head to clear it. "Yeah?"

She smiles. "Do you want to meet your daughter?"

My eyes widen. "Are you sure this is what's best for her?"

"You're her father. I think you've both lost enough time, don't you?"

I nod and swallow hard. I've waited so long for this and now I'm nervous. What if she doesn't like me? What if she can't accept the fact that I'm her father?

Sydney stands up and walks to the stairs. "Will, can you please bring Isabel down?"

A few moments later, I hear them walking down the stairs.

"Is he an old friend of yours, too, Daddy?" I hear her ask Will.

My heart sinks. I'm not surprised she calls him that, but hearing it just about kills me. I force myself to smile and wipe my sweaty palms on my pants.

Will and Isabel appear in the doorway. Sydney takes her hand and leads her to the couch. Isabel sits down next to me and Sydney sits on her other side.

Sydney begins slowly. "Isabel, you know how Mommy always tells you about your biological Daddy?"

"Yes. You said he went to heaven before I was born."

"That's right, I did. I also told you stories about him and showed you pictures."

"You said he liked to play hockey."

I smile.

"That's right."

Sydney picks up a photo album from the coffee table and turns to a picture of me. I'm standing on the hockey rink with all my gear on, smiling at the camera. I remember that day. It was the last time Sydney and I played hockey together.

"Yup, that's him," Isabel says. Her brow then wrinkles and she puts her little face closer to the picture. She then looks up at me. Her eyes widen.

"Hey, I knew you looked familiar. What are you? Like his twin or something."

Will, Sydney, and I can't help but laugh at that one. Leave it to a child to lighten a tense moment.

Sydney shakes her head. "No, sweetie, he's your daddy."

Her nose wrinkles in confusion. She shakes her brown curls back and forth. "I don't get it. You can't just come back from heaven. It's not like vacation."

Sydney nods. "You're right. You see, Mommy thought Daddy was in heaven, but it was all just a mistake."

Isabel snorts. "A mistake? Come on, Mommy, I know about mistakes. That's why pencils have erasers. How can thinking Daddy's in heaven be a mistake?"

I smile. Wow, she's a little character. So smart.

I clear my throat and look at Sydney. "Let me try." Isabel looks up at me with her big green eyes. "There were some bad guys who made it seem like Daddy went to heaven. But I didn't. They let me go and I came to find you."

Isabel stares at me for a few moments. "So where have you been all this time?"

"It wasn't a very nice place and I missed you the whole time."

Her brow crinkles. "How could you miss me? We never met before."

A smile pulls at my lips. "We didn't have to. You're my daughter. I loved you the moment I found out about you."

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Will move his gaze to the floor.

I swallow hard. "I know you already have a really good daddy. So I was thinking maybe we could try being friends, getting to know each other."

Isabel looks at Sydney, then Will, as if to make sure this is okay. They both offer her smiles. She shrugs her shoulders. "Okay."

I smile. "Okay. If it's all right with your mom, maybe we could spend some time together this weekend. Maybe Saturday."

We both look at Sydney. She nods. "Sure. How does 1 o'clock sound?"

I bob my head. "That sounds great."

We all fall into an uncomfortable silence, unsure of what to say or do next. Isabel breaks it. "Well, nice to meet you. I'm going to go get a snack."

She then walks out of the room. I smile at Sydney. "She's pretty resilient, huh? Like her mother."

Sydney smiles and nods. "Nothing really phases her."

I stand up then, feeling as if it's time to go. I catch Will's eyes and feel the need to say something to him.

"Will, I just wanted to thank you for taking such good care of my daughter. I can see how happy she is."

"You don't need to thank me, Vaughn. It's been a pleasure. That little girl's brought nothing but joy to my life." He pauses and then adds softly, as he turns to look at Sydney, "So has her mother."

Sydney removes her eyes from his and I have to swallow around the lump in my throat. "You're the only father Isabel's ever known and I respect that. I just want to get to know her."

Will nods. "She deserves that."

I clear my throat and then move towards the door. "Well, I better get going. I'm sure you guys have things to do." I look at Sydney, "So, uh, I guess I'll see you Saturday then...when I come to pick up Isabel."

Sydney follows me to the door. "Saturday."

I walk out the door and down the steps, but I can feel her eyes on me.

* * *

End of Part 1 


	2. Chapter 2

Note: Thank you so much foryour feedback. I really appreciate it. As you'll notice, this story has turned into 4 parts, instead of 3. It was done, but then I realized there were some scenes that just needed to be added. It got a bit longer and made more sense as 4 parts. Hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you thought. Thanks!Steph

**Bless the Broken Road: Part 2/4**

* * *

I lie awake in bed, staring straight up at the ceiling. I should be used to this by now. Before I left the CIA, it seemed every other week my world came crashing down. But I've gotten used to a sense of normalcy. No secrets or doubles or people returning from the dead.

And then I saw him. Standing in the doorway, smiling at me. It was like a dream. I felt like at any moment I might wake up and he'd be ripped away from me again. But it wasn't a dream. It was real. He was real. When I put my arms around him, I never wanted to let go.

God, how can this be happening? I am filled with this incredible sense of happiness to know he's alive, to be able to see him again. But I have a life. I have a husband I am committed to...a husband who loves me and my daughter very much.

I squeeze my eyes shut. This can't be about me. Vaughn and I lost our chance a long time ago. I'll just have to try to control these feelings. This is about what's best for Isabel. Vaughn is a wonderful man and she deserves to know him.

But how can I stand seeing him, watching him with our daughter, and not think about what could have been? What could still be if I were willing to make that choice.

How could I do that to Will? He's been nothing but wonderful to me and Isabel. I can't just throw away what we have because Vaughn's back. It wouldn't be fair to him.

I'm thrown from my thoughts by his voice. "You awake?"

I turn my head to find Will staring at me. "Yeah."

"Can't say I'm surprised. Pretty crazy day."

"That's putting it mildly."

He pauses, seemingly reluctant to speak. "How did it feel to see him again?"

I move my eyes back to the ceiling. "I was shocked, to say the least."

"And after the shock wore off?"

"I was happy. Relieved," I say, carefully choosing my words.

"What did you two talk about? I mean, after he told you what happened to him."

I lick my dry lips. "We talked about you, our family. What kind of role he wants to play in Isabel's life."

"He's still in love with you, isn't he?" Will asks softly.

I close my eyes. "Will."

"No, no, it's okay, Syd. Why wouldn't he be? You were probably the only thing that kept him going all those years. I know that's how it would have been if it were me."

I take a deep breath. "He made it clear he does not intend to interfere in our marriage. He just wants to get to know his daughter."

Will's hand touches my cheek and I turn to look at him. He smiles sadly. "Sydney, we all know about intentions. They don't mean a thing if they don't agree with how you feel."

"I can't speak for him, Will. I can only tell you what he told me. And I want you to know that none of that matters anyway. I'm committed to you. You're my husband."

He leans over and kisses my forehead, but never meets my eyes.

* * *

I take a deep breath and raise my hand to knock on the door. A few moments pass and I hear nothing, so I knock again, louder this time.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming. Just stop pounding. I've got the mother of all hangovers and you're not exactly helping the-..."

He stops mid-sentence as the door swings open and his eyes land on me.

"Okay, exactly how much did I have to drink last night?"

I smile, pat him on the shoulder, and walk past him. Weiss closes the door behind me, his mouth still hanging open in shock.

"Probably a lot, but I'm not a result of it," I say.

He shakes his head. "Oh my God. Mike, I can't believe it."

He rushes toward me and envelops me in a bear hug. I smile and then gently push him away.

"Okay, I don't like you like that."

He smiles and wags a finger at me. "I thought you were dead for five years. If I want to squeeze the breath out of you I will." He pauses and then asks, "So, where the hell have you been?"

I quickly recount the same story I told Sydney. He shakes his head in disbelief.

"Unbelievable. I gotta tell you. I'm starting to get a little jealous. I'm like one of the few remaining people I know who hasn't come back from the dead."

I chuckle. "It's not all it's cracked up to be."

He nods. "Have you seen Sydney yet?"

"Yesterday."

"And?"

I smile. "And it was so great to see her again. I also got to meet my daughter."

Weiss grins. "Oh, I love that kid. She's like a mini-adult. Sydney and Will have done a great job with her."

I move my eyes to the floor, which does not go unnoticed by Weiss.

"You knew she married Will before you went there, right? No way Mr. Intel went in there unprepared."

"Yeah, I knew."

"Didn't make it any easier though, did it?"

I shake my head. "No."

Weiss sighs. "I know you don't want to hear this. I know you probably want me to say they're miserable and Will's a jerk who, like, drinks and gambles away Isabel's college money, but I can't. They're good together. They're a real family. And Will adores that kid."

"You're right, I didn't want to hear that. But I'm not surprised. I could tell they're happy."

Weiss moves to the living room and sits down. I follow after him. "You know, Sydney was devastated when she lost you. She missed you so much. And she was so scared to have to raise that baby all alone. But you know how strong she is. She made it through. She moved on. She built a family with Will."

"Did they fall in love? She didn't make it sound like they did. She made it sound like she wanted a stable family for Isabel and she knew Will could give her that. When I asked her if she was in love with him-..."

"You asked her that?"

"I had to know."

"What did she say?"

"She said he's her husband," I say with a small smile.

He offers me a warning look. "That doesn't mean anything."

"That's what I used to say about Lauren."

"You called Lauren your husband?"

"Very funny. You know what I mean. The answer should be easy: Yes. But that's not what she said."

"That doesn't mean that's not what she meant."

"Well, what do you think? Is she in love with him or not?"

"Does it really matter, Mike? You have a right to know your daughter, but you don't have a right to try to break up Sydney's marriage."

"It's not my intention to do that."

"It doesn't have to be."

I rub at my face. "What do you expect me to do? I'm still in love with her. The hope that we could still be together kept me going, no matter how unrealistic that may have been. We should have been a happy family. And we still can. I know she's still in love with me, Eric. I saw it in her eyes."

Weiss groans. "Look, Sydney may not be in love with Will, but he's always been in love with her. He's not just going to let her go without a fight."

"I am grateful for everything Will has done for Sydney and Isabel. But if there's even the slightest chance that Sydney, Isabel, and I could be the family we were meant to be, then I can't ignore that."

"It doesn't matter what I say, does it? You're not going to let this go."

"Would you?"

"No, I guess not. But just listen to me for a minute. You've got to follow Sydney's lead on this one. If she wants to stay with Will, even though she may not be in love with him, then you have to respect that. You have to let her go."

"If I believe that's what she really wants, then I won't have any other choice. I'll follow her lead."

Weiss leans back and lets out an exaggerated sigh. "And here I was thinking nothing exciting ever happens since I left the CIA."

"Yeah, I heard you went to work for the White House after you thought I died. How did you end up back here?"

"D.C. was boring. And cold. I only lasted a couple of months and then I came back here. I've been working for the state department since."

I smile and look at him. "So, you miss me?"

He offers me a crooked grin. "Are you kidding? I've had to rely on soap operas for all of my relationship drama since you left. Thank God you're back!"

I chuckle and he goes on. "So, here's what you missed. Two more Jennifer Lopez husbands have come and gone. The Kings still haven't won. And I'm still as single as they come."

"I can't believe someone hasn't snatched you up yet."

"I know, I'm a catch.

I laugh and look at him. "So can I stay here for a bit? I've been staying at a motel, but there aren't any Cheese Nips on their sleeping accommodations. I have standards."

He smiles. "Anytime. For as long as you need. You know that."

I nod, "Thanks."

I'm grateful that some things haven't changed.

* * *

I walk down the hallway towards Isabel's room, stopping when I hear their voices. I peer around the door frame.

Will is sitting on the bed and Isabel is standing in front of him. He's attempting to do her hair.

"How about a French braid?"

"You can't do a French braid. Last time you did one my head looked all lopsided."

I smile at that. Hairdressing is not one of Will's better skills.

"How about pigtails?"

She shakes her head. "No, you made me look like a dog last time."

Will laughs and gently turns Isabel around to face him. "Okay, I'm all out of hairstyles." His smile fades. "Isabel, he's going to pick you up soon. You need to be ready."

She shrugs. "Well, if my hair's not done, I guess I can't go."

He raises his eyebrows. "Is that what this is about? Because you usually let me do whatever I want to your hair."

She lowers her eyes. "I don't want to go."

"Why?"

"Because I don't even know him."

Will takes a deep breath. I can see how hard this is on him and it breaks my heart. "Not yet, but you will."

She looks up at him, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Did you know him before?"

Will nods. "Yeah, I did."

"Did you like him?"

He looks down at the floor. "He's a good guy."

Isabel puts her hand in his. Her voice grows soft. "Will you be mad at me if I like him?"

Will shakes his head and touches her cheek. "Of course not, sweetheart. He's your biological father. I hope you like him. I just want you to be happy."

I feel tears spring to my eyes but I quickly blink them back. Will looks up then and finds me standing in the doorway.

He clears his throat and stands up. He walks over to me and hands me the brush.

He offers me a weak smile. "Maybe you'll have better luck."

I take the brush from him, walk to the bed and sit down.

I turn Isabel around and attempt to brush her hair, but she won't stand still.

"Isabel, you have to stand still. I can't do your hair if you keep squirming."

"I want to leave my hair down or I'm not going!"

She knows I don't like her hair down and must think this is her ticket out.

"Sweetie, you know how it gets in your way and always gets tangled when it's left down. Don't you want to look pretty for your daddy?"

She wriggles free of my grip and turns around to face me, her hands planted challengingly on her hips.

"Don't call him that. He's a stranger. I can't call him daddy. I already have a daddy."

I sigh. I should have known better than to say that, considering the conversation I just heard between her and Will.

Maybe we're taking this too fast. I can't expect her to just start thinking of Vaughn as her father when Will's been the only one she's really known for two years.

"I know this is hard, honey. And I don't expect you to start thinking of him as your daddy right away. You can call him whatever you want and think of him however you like. You're a lucky little girl, you know. You have two men who want to be your daddy."

She looks down at the floor. "What if he doesn't like me?"

I place my hand to her chin and lift her face so she looks at me. "He already loves you and I know he'll end up liking you, too. You're smart and funny and beautiful. What's not to like?"

She rolls her eyes at me. "You have to say that. You're my mom. It's your job."

I smile. "Maybe so, but I'd say it even if I weren't your mother."

She pauses for a moment and then her eyes narrow. "Well, what if I don't end up liking him?"

I shake my head, thinking this to be impossible. I always knew Vaughn would be a great father and I know he and Isabel will eventually form a wonderful bond.

"He's a great man, Isabel. I promise, if you give him a chance, you're going to like him."

She shrugs her little shoulders. "I'll try anything once."

I laugh and then pull her into a hug. I give her a kiss and whisper, "I love you," in her ear.

Just then, the doorbell rings. I breathe deeply and take her hand in mine. "Let's go."

We walk downstairs and Isabel runs ahead of me. She pulls the door open, revealing Vaughn. I feel the air go out of my lungs. I still can't believe he's standing in front of me. And, even after all this time, he still takes my breath away.

Our eyes meet and he smiles at me. He then bends down to Isabel. "Are you ready to go? I have a lot of fun things planned for us today."

I can't take my eyes off of them. I tried to imagine what they would look like together, but I could never get a complete picture in my mind. And, now, here they are. I can see the love in his eyes when he looks at her and my heart aches for all of the time they lost, all of the moments they never got to share.

"I'm ready," she says. She turns to me and waves. "Bye, Mommy. See you later." She then runs out the door and down the walk.

Vaughn stands up and meets my gaze. "I'll have her home by 6 o'clock."

"Don't worry about it. Take as much time as you need."

He nods. "Thanks."

He turns around and only makes it a few feet before my voice stops him.

"Vaughn?"

"Yeah?" he says, as he spins around to face me.

"Have a good time," I say with a smile.

His lips curl into a grin. "Thank you. We will."

* * *

I adjust my rearview mirror and see her staring back at me from the backseat. I swallow hard. I suddenly feel like I'm back in high school and going on a first date. My palms are sweaty. My mouth's dry. I can't think of anything of substance to say.

I swallow hard. "So, uh, I was thinking we could go get some lunch first. Where do you want to go?"

She shrugs. "I don't care."

I eye her. "Now I don't believe that. You seem like a girl with opinions. What kind of food do you like?"

"Sushi."

I raise an eyebrow. "Sushi?"

"Yeah, Mommy and Daddy don't really like it so we never get to have it."

I have to force myself not to wince at that Daddy word again.

"Well, sushi it is then."

Her eyes light up. "You like sushi?"

I nod. "Sure, I love it."

I hate sushi. I guess this is my first fatherly sacrifice.

I drive to the nearest sushi restaurant. I help Isabel out and we walk in. We're seated in moments. I let Isabel order for us and then we sit in an awkward silence.

I try to break it. "So, you're in kindergarten, right? Do you like school?"

She wrinkles her nose. "No, it's boring. We do baby stuff."

I smile to myself. Figures the daughter of two former CIA agents would be bored with kindergarten.

"Well, what do you like to do?'

"Read."

"You already know how to read?"

She looks at me like I have two heads. Stupid question, I guess.

"Since I was three."

My eyes widen. "Wow. Three."

She looks at me curiously. "What do you like to do?"

"Well, Mommy told you how I like to play hockey."

"She said you were the best hockey player she's ever seen."

I smile at that. I always loved playing with Sydney. I used to have this picture in my head of us going to the hockey rink with our kids and having a family game.

"Has Mommy ever taken you skating or to play hockey?"

She shakes her head. "No, I've asked her to a bunch of times, but she always makes an excuse. I think it would make her too sad."

My brow furrows. "Sad? Why?"

Her big, green eyes meet mine. "Because it would make her think of you."

"Oh," I say softly.

We fall into an uncomfortable silence then. We're saved a few minutes later by the arrival of our food. Isabel digs right into the raw fish wrapped around rice. I approach mine a little more cautiously. And by cautiously I mean I stare at it.

"Aren't you going to eat it?" she asks.

"Sure, I'm just taking my time."

She eyes me knowingly. "You don't like it, do you?"

I raise my eyebrows. "You got me."

"Why did you say you liked it then?"

I shrug. "I don't know. I guess I just wanted to make you happy."

She smiles at me. "You don't have to lie to do that. Just be yourself. That's what Mommy always says."

This kid may be wiser than I am. I can see more and more of Sydney in her with every passing moment.

We finish our meal. Or, rather, she finishes her meal and I pay. We exit the restaurant and I turn to her. "So, I was thinking we could go down to the arcade on the pier and play some games."

She shakes her head. "Nah."

"Well, what do you want to do then?"

"Go to the train station."

My eyes widen in surprise. "The train station?"

"Yeah, Mommy takes me there all the time. We like to watch people. We make up stories about their lives. It's really fun."

I smile. I can't believe Sydney takes her to the train station. Our train station. She must go there to remember. To feel closer to me.

I bob my head. "The train station it is then."

We get in the car and drive to the train station. We find seats and sit side by side.

Isabel points out a little boy about six sitting on a bench with a woman who is probably his mother. "He doesn't want to go."

"Go where?"

"Where ever it is they're going."

I look at the boy, his head bent, staring at his hands. "How can you tell?"

"He looks sad. He'd look happy if he wanted to go."

I look down at her, wondering how she got to be so perceptive.

"Your turn," she says.

I survey my surroundings, my eyes landing on a young couple sitting a few yards away. The woman's wiping away tears. The man looks as if he's barely containing himself, but his eyes are focused solely on hers. His hands hold hers as if holding on for dear life.

"He's leaving," I say softly.

She tilts her head in their direction. "How do you know?"

"Because he can't take his eyes off of her."

She twitches her nose. "Maybe she's just got something stuck in her teeth and he can't stop looking at it."

I laugh. Leave it to a five year old to pull me out of my romantic funk. I smile. "Maybe."

She looks up at me and grins. And I realize we just spent a day making memories. Memories no one can ever take away from me.

* * *

I hear his car pull up and rush over to the window. I pull back the curtains and smile as my eyes land on his figure helping our daughter out of the car. They walk a few feet and then she looks up at him. She smiles and slips her hand into his.

My heart catches in my chest at the sight of them. God, they're beautiful together.

He looks up and in my direction, so I quickly pull back out of sight. A moment later, the doorbell rings. I wait a few moments so as not to seem as if I were standing there waiting for them. I then walk to the door and open it.

Our eyes meet and hold. He smiles at me. "Hi, Sydney."

"Hi. You guys are back." I move my gaze down to Isabel. "Did you have fun?"

She smiles and nods enthusiastically. "Oh yeah. We ate sushi and went to the train station."

I can feel Vaughn staring at me at the mention of the train station. It was obviously Isabel's suggestion and I'm sure the significance is not lost on him.

I pat Isabel's head. "I'm so glad you had fun, sweetie. Why don't you go get cleaned up for dinner?"

"Okay," she says. She then looks up at Vaughn and smiles. "Thanks for today. Maybe we can do it again sometime."

His eyes twinkle as he replies, "I'd like that."

With that, Isabel runs upstairs. We both watch her go and then turn back to each other.

Vaughn shakes his head. "She's an amazing little girl. You've done a great job with her." He pauses and then adds, "I see so much of you in her, Syd."

I feel my face flood with red. I swallow hard. "And I see so much of you in her." I blink back a sudden rush of tears. "Being with her was like being with a piece of you, Vaughn. I'd look into her green eyes and feel you staring back at me. Whenever I felt like I couldn't take it anymore, whenever I felt like I couldn't stand being without you for one more moment, I'd look at her. It gave me comfort."

I see the tears spring to his eyes and he looks down, hoping to hide it from me. I take a deep breath and attempt a lighthearted smile.

"Sushi, huh? You hate sushi."

He raises his head to look at me and grins. "Yeah, I wanted to impress her so I told her I loved it. It didn't take her long to figure out I lied."

I chuckle. "She's like a little human lie detector. Nothing much gets past her."

He smiles and then we fall into an awkward silence until I finally break it. "Well, I better get going. Dinner's getting cold."

His eyes seem to flash with disappointment. "Okay. Um, could I maybe see her next Saturday?"

I nod. "You can see her anytime you want, Vaughn."

"It's probably best to keep it as a scheduled thing right now. I don't want to overwhelm her."

I bob my head and meet his eyes. "All right. I'll see you next Saturday then. Bye."

I move to close the door when his voice stops me. I meet his piercing gaze.

"You take her to the train station," he says softly.

I nod with a sad smile. "Yeah, I do." I pause and then add, as I battle the emotion now constricting my throat. "It helps me feel closer to you. When I'm there I can sit down and pretend you're sitting behind me. I can hear your voice telling me how you looked everywhere for me and how you remembered some simple statement I made a million years ago. And I can close my eyes and feel your arms around me as we dance to the sounds of a busy train station." I stop and then add softly, "It doesn't make me feel sad. I tried to go to the hockey rink once and Isabel is always asking to go, but it just hurt too much. It made me think of how one day we could have brought our family there. The train station is different somehow. It helps me remember. It brings me comfort."

He rubs at his eyes and then looks down. "Memories like those are the only thing that got me through those five years."

I ache to reach out and wrap my arms around him, but force myself to resist.

He clears his throat. "Well, I'll let you go. See you next week."

He turns around and I watch as he walks away from me. It takes all of my strength not to run after him. I wait until he's driven away to close the door. I lean my forehead against the door and squeeze my eyes shut.

"He's gone, Syd."

Will's voice takes me by surprise and I quickly turn around. He's simply staring at me and for some reason I feel guilty.

"I know," I say softly.

"Dinner's getting cold."

I shake my head. "I'm actually not feeling too well. I think I'm going to go lie down. You two eat without me."

I start up the stairs but his voice stops me. "Is this how it's going to be?"

I turn around to face him, my features twisted in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Will's eyes flood with hurt. "You can't be with him, so you're going to pull away from this family...from me."

I walk down the stairs and stand in front of him. "That is not what I am doing. I don't feel well. It's just dinner."

He shakes his head. "Two years, Syd. We haven't missed a dinner together as a family in the two years we've been married. You were obsessive about it or don't you remember? You never got to have family meals and you wanted things to be different for Isabel. I had to drop everything at work to make sure I was home for dinner. And I did it gladly because this is where I wanted to be. You had the flu and sat there and ate with us. But he's been back for three days and that's all it took for things to change."

I see the hurt in his eyes and I can't stand that I put it there. But I also can't deny what he said. And I can't sit down to a meal as a family right now.

"I have a headache, Will. Don't make more of it than it is."

I turn to walk away.

"He's still in love with you and that's not going to change. You don't just fall out of love with Sydney Bristow. I learned that lesson a long time ago. He's not going to just let you go. I know because I wouldn't."

I squeeze my eyes shut and a tear slips down my cheek. I then walk up the stairs, his eyes following me all the way.

* * *

End of Part 2

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it and please let me know what you thought. Steph


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for your feedback. I appreciate it! The next part will be the last unless I can't stop tinkering! Hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you thought. Steph

Bless the Broken Road: Part 3/4

I ring the doorbell and wait, as I nervously shift the package from hand to hand. A moment later, Will flings the door open.

I'm disappointed it's not Sydney, but I try to hide it. "Hi, Will. I'm here to pick up Isabel."

He nods. "She'll be down in a minute. Sydney's doing her hair. Why don't you come in?"

I walk inside and he shuts the door behind me. We stand in awkward, tense silence. It feels like we're back all of those years ago, when we first met. We were both connected by one female. Now we're connected by two.

"So, have you found a place to live yet?"

I shake my head. "No, I'm staying with Weiss right now."

"What about a job? Are you going to go back to the CIA?"

I shrug, a little annoyed with the third degree. "I'm weighing my options." I pause and then look at him, "I'm actually considering going back to teaching. UCLA has an opening in the French department."

Will nods uncomfortably. We both know that's where Sydney teaches.

"Well, that sounds good. Sydney teaches there, so I'm sure she could put in a good word."

"Like I said, I haven't decided anything yet."

My eyes move to the stairs as I hear footsteps. They land on Sydney and Isabel, walking hand in hand. I smile at them and they return it. My girls. My beautiful girls.

Isabel runs toward me, her eyes wide with curiosity as she stares at the wrapped package in my hands.

"Is that for me?"

I kneel down in front of her. "Well, I bought it for a beautiful little girl with big, green eyes and the prettiest smile anyone's ever seen."

She grins, revealing a gap in her front teeth. She lost a tooth. Something inside of me sinks as I realize I'm still missing moments in her life. I'm a Weekend Dad, something I never imagined I'd ever be.

She raises her hand. "That's me! That's me!"

I smile and hand her the package. She rips into my twenty-five minute wrapping job in 2.5 seconds. She pulls the top off the box and I watch as her mouth drops open.

"Ice skates!" she screams. She then looks at me, her eyes dancing in delight, and throws her arms around my neck.

I close my eyes and revel in the feeling of my little girl's arms around me for the first time. I pull her close to me.

"Thank you," she whispers in my ear and then kisses my cheek.

I open my eyes and she pulls back. I look up at Sydney, noticing how her eyes are glassy from tears held back.

Isabel looks at me with barely contained excitement. "Are we going skating? Are you going to teach me how to skate?"

I nod. "Yeah, I thought it was about time. Then maybe we can have that hockey game sometime," I say, as my eyes meet Sydney's.

Isabel practically jumps up and down. "This is going to be so much fun!" She turns to Sydney. "Do you want to come too, Mommy?"

I look at Sydney. I can see she'd like nothing more, but she shakes her head. "I don't want to intrude. You two go and have fun together."

I lick my lips. "No, Syd, it wouldn't be an intrusion. We'd like it if you came." Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Will shift his feet and look down at the ground. "You're welcome to come, too, Will."

Will looks at Sydney, waiting for her response. She smiles. "Well, it has been ages since I was on the ice."

Probably the last time we played hockey together.

Will drops his head. It's clear he was hoping she'd refuse.

"What about you, Will?" I ask, convinced he'll tag along just to keep an eye on us.

But he shakes his head. "Nah, I can't. I've got a lot of work to do. You guys go and have fun."

Sydney looks at him and I can tell there's tension between them. She walks over and gives him a kiss on the cheek. "We'll see you later then."

She joins us at the door. "I just have to get my skates. They're in the garage."

We follow her out the door. I'm aware of Will's eyes following us as we move out of sight.

---

I watch Vaughn as he helps Isabel lace up her skates. His hands work quickly and methodically. I've always loved his hands. They're so strong.

I can't believe I'm here with Vaughn and Isabel. I imagined this scenario a million times in my mind. But it was always an impossible dream. And, now, here we are. It's like we're a real family. I feel a pang of guilt at the thought of Will. I can't help but feel like I'm betraying him in some way.

Vaughn's voice pulls me from my thoughts. "Ready?"

He stretches his hand out. I place my hand in his and he helps me up. I then take one of Isabel's hands and he takes the other. She stands up between us, her little legs wobbly. We take a few steps forward and venture out onto the ice.

"Just go slow. Stay balanced," Vaughn says to her. "Hold on to me and Mommy. We won't let you fall."

Isabel shrugs her shoulders, unconcerned. "I don't care about falling. I like scars. They make me who I am. No one else can have the same exact scar."

I look at Sydney and whisper, "She is definitely your daughter."

She smiles at me. "Oh please. You and Weiss used to compare battle scars on a weekly basis. I think you kept records."

"That was Weiss."

I smile at how easy this is, how familiar it feels.

I feel Isabel's hand slip out of mine and watch as she frees herself from Vaughn.

"I can do it on my own," she yells and skates off.

She doesn't make it more than a few yards before she falls flat on her face. I hear Vaughn's breath catch in his chest. He's by her side in a flash, before I have a chance to react. He pulls her into his arms and surveys her body for injuries. She's a brave, strong little girl, but I see her fighting back tears. Vaughn's presence seems to bring her comfort.

He looks at her chin, noticing a small cut from the ice. "You have a little cut on your chin."

"Is it going to be a scar?" she asks softly, hopefully.

He smiles. "I'm afraid not."

She blinks back tears and sighs in disappointment. "No fair. Now what I am going to show for Show-and-Tell on Monday?"

We both laugh and then I watch as Vaughn cradles her in his arms and stands up. There's something I could get used to seeing.

"Come on, let's go sit down," he says.

She starts kicking her legs. "No, I don't want to sit down! I want to keep skating!"

He doesn't raise his voice. He speaks to her softly, but authoritatively. "No, we're going to go sit down for a few minutes."

We all skate over to the bench and sit down. Isabel crosses her arms over her chest and proceeds to pout.

She then fixes him with a glare. "I thought you wanted me to be happy."

I raise my eyebrows at that. I look at Vaughn. He's just been faced with his first fatherly challenge. It's not easy the first time you have to be the bad guy. They never understand that your actions are for their own good.

He nods. "I do. I also want you to be safe."

Her face softens. "Well, I guess I understand that. That is what fathers are supposed to do."

My eyebrows peak, as I realize she referred to Vaughn as her father for the first time. It's not lost on him either, as a smile pulls at his lips.

She looks at Vaughn. "So when are we going to play that hockey game?"

Vaughn smiles. "There's no rush. We'll have plenty of time for that."

The thought fills me with hope and happiness. Vaughn and I have been given a second chance. Or maybe it's our third or fourth. But it's our second chance at having the family we dreamt of. How can I just let that pass me by?

"Mommy, can I get a snack?" Isabel asks, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Sure," I say and reach for my pocketbook.

Vaughn touches my hand. "Let me." He pulls out his wallet and hands Isabel a ten dollar bill.

"Thanks!" she then walks the few feet to the snack bar.

"Don't go any farther than the snack bar, Isabel," I say, as I watch her walk up to the counter.

I turn my head to find Vaughn staring at me. I feel my face grow red.

"What?" I ask.

"Nothing," he says. He then adds softly, "I was just trying to picture what you two would have looked like together when she was a baby."

I smile and reach into my purse to pull out my wallet. I hand Vaughn a picture of me in the hospital holding Isabel. His eyes lock on our faces.

"She wasn't even an hour old yet," I say.

He doesn't remove his eyes as he speaks. "You were beautiful. Both of you."

I feel my chest tighten. That day was the happiest and hardest of my life. Not having Vaughn there tore me up inside. It wasn't until I saw our daughter's face that I realized he was still with me. He was in her.

He moves his eyes to mine. "What was she like as a baby?" he asks. He smiles sadly. "I imagined what she was like so many times that I guess I made myself believe it was reality. Can you tell me?"

I nod. "Well, she was a very happy baby. She always smiled and giggled. She was so adventurous and curious, always getting into things. She was also stubborn and persistent. When she was learning to walk, she would fall down a dozen times and just keep getting back up and trying again."

He smiles, "Sounds like someone I know."

I return his smile, but it soon fades. I swallow hard. "She was a great baby, but it didn't start out that way. When I first brought her home from the hospital, she wouldn't stop crying. I had her checked out and they said she was fine. I didn't know what to do. I was scared about being a mother as it was and to have to do it alone...without you. I just didn't think I'd make it." I pause and take a deep breath. "One night, I was so exhausted and frustrated that I couldn't stand it anymore. I got mad at you for dying...for leaving me."

I notice his eyes move to the ground. "I know it was silly. I knew you would have moved heaven and earth to stay with me. But I couldn't help it. I felt like a failure. I walked into my bedroom and opened up my jewelry box. I took out your father's watch. I thought of its meaning and the promises it once held. I thought of how it was all gone now. I looked at the hands that were now moving and it felt like a lifetime ago that you told me they had stopped when we first met. It hurt so much thinking of everything we never got to have and I was so tired and frustrated that I...I wanted to throw it on the ground and smash it to pieces." I shake my head, ashamed that the thought had ever crossed my mind. "I was holding Isabel in my arms and she was screaming her head off. Then she grew quiet and I saw her staring at the watch. It got so quiet I could hear the ticking and so could she. She reached out and took the watch in her hands. I couldn't believe it. She stopped crying."

I look at Vaughn, who's eyes are now filled with tears. "That's when I knew that you hadn't left me. You were right there, helping me through it all."

Vaughn places his hand over mine and squeezes it. I go on. "Isabel keeps that watch in her jewelry box now. She still takes it out all the time and watches the hands go around, listens to it tick. I think it gives her peace and comfort. I think it makes her feel closer to you." I look down at my hands. "I told her the story behind it. I told her you could set your heart to the watch and how it stopped the day we met." I smile and laugh. "She said a watch has nothing to do with the beating of your heart. She didn't believe me. I told her how it had been fixed and that maybe someday it would stop again...That maybe then she'd believe me."

Vaughn smiles. "I bet she still didn't buy that."

I shake my head and meet his eyes. My voice emerges softly. "She didn't have a choice. After you came back that day I went to her room to look at the watch. I wanted to feel closer to you. I wanted to remember." I pause and then add. "Vaughn, the watch had stopped ...at the exact time I laid eyes on you again."

He takes a deep breath and opens his mouth to speak, but Isabel appears at our side before any words can emerge. We both look down at Isabel.

She smiles and hands us each a pretzel. "I got something for you guys, too."

Vaughn and I smile and say, "Thank you."

Vaughn looks down at the picture he still holds in his hand. "Oh, here. I forgot I still had it in my hand." He reluctantly raises his hand up and holds it out to me.

I smile and shake my head. "It's yours. Now you don't have to imagine it anymore."

A slow smile spreads across his lips. I look at him and Isabel and think of the family we could have. I'm not sure how much longer I can do this.

---

I walk Sydney to the door. Isabel saw one of her friends at the skating rink and Sydney told her she could go over her house to play. She's going to pick her up in a few hours.

"Thanks for the ride," she says. She looks up at the darkened house. "I guess Will went out."

Our eyes meet and hold. I can feel myself being pulled towards her and I know I won't be able to stop if I let things go any further.

I take a deep breath and say softly. "I better get going."

Her eyes remain focused on mine. "Don't go," she says softly.

I shake my head. "Sydney, I don't think that's a very good idea."

She looks at me longingly, her eyes filled with pent-up desire. She walks over to the porch swing and sits down. Her eyes beg me to follow. I'm careful to sit on the other end of the swing, but she moves closer to me. She slips her hand into mine.

"Syd," I breathe.

She shuts her eyes. "Shh. Close your eyes."

My brow furrows in confusion, but I obey.

Her soft voice fills my ears. "Sometimes I come out here, all by myself. I close my eyes and I try to picture what our life would have been like. I can see it all, so vivid it's as if it's real. I see you holding Isabel as she drifts off to sleep. I see us playing hockey as a family. I see us falling asleep in front of the TV, your arms wrapped around me...making me feel so safe. I see us dancing at our daughter's wedding. I could see it all, Vaughn. I still can."

She touches my face and I open my eyes. Her eyes capture mine and I notice how her lips are tantalizingly close.

"I never thought that those things could be anything more than a dream," she whispers. "But here you are."

I swallow hard. "Sydney, I don't know what you want me to say."

"Don't say anything," she says. She then brings her mouth close to my ear and says, "We'll find each other. We always find each other." Her lips then brush against my cheek.

Then she's gone, as if she were nothing but a figment of my imagination. Her words leave me filled with a sense of hope. Maybe we will find our way back to each other. But it has to come from her.

---

I walk inside and close the door behind me. I lean up against the door and try to steady my breathing. What was I thinking? How could I say those things to him? How could I act that way?

I have to try to make this work with Will, but now...now I've given Vaughn a sense of hope. I was wrong to do that.

His voice breaks through the silence.

"You're still in love with him, aren't you?"

"Will?" I say, startled, as I peer into the darkness. I make out a shadowy figure sitting on the stairs.

I take a few steps forward. "Why are you sitting here in the dark?"

He laughs bitterly. "It's amazing the things people will say when they think there's no one around to hear them."

My breath catches in my chest. I look over at the window near the swing and notice for the first time that it's open. He heard us. He saw us.

"Will, it's not-..."

He shakes his head, but his voice is eerily calm and soft, "Spare me, Syd."

He then stands up and walks over to me. His features are twisted in pain. "You know, I didn't have any illusions when I asked you to marry me. I knew you weren't in love with me. I knew that I could give you the stable family you wanted. And that was okay with me because I'd been in love with you for so long that I didn't care how I got to have you, I just wanted you. I convinced myself that in time you might fall in love with me. But that hasn't happened and it's never going to, is it?"

I blink back tears, his pain ripping right through me. He goes on. "I always knew that I would never be able to compete with Vaughn. Even if you managed to fall in love with me, you would never love me like you loved him. He's been here all along. Everytime you looked at me, you wanted to see him."

"That's not true," I say weakly.

"Yes, it is. And every time we kissed or I held you in my arms, you wanted it to be him. I knew that. I accepted it because no matter how much you wanted it, I knew it wasn't possible. But that's not true anymore. He's not just a bunch of memories and dreams. He's real. He's alive."

His breathing grows ragged. "I said to you before that I knew Vaughn wouldn't let you go because I wouldn't. But I just sat there in the dark and listened to my wife talk about a future with another man. And I can't just accept that. I'm not going to go through day after day knowing you'd rather be with him, knowing that at any moment you might gain the courage to tell me the truth. So I'm going to let you go."

The tears are streaming down my face but I pay them no attention. "Will," I say softly.

He swallows against the lump in his throat. "Please, Syd, don't say it's not what you want. I can see it in your eyes. I saw it the moment he came back."

"But we're a family. What about Isabel?"

He takes a deep breath. "I will always love that little girl and I will always consider her my daughter. Nothing's going to change that."

"Then how can you just let us go without a fight?"

He smiles sadly. "I know enough to recognize a fight I'll never win."

I shake my head. "But you say you love her and want her to be happy. This is the only family she's ever known. You have to think of her first, how this will affect her, what's best for her."

"I am," he says sharply. "We could go on like this for years, Syd. Both of us too afraid to say anything, tiptoeing around the elephant in the room. But I would grow to resent you and you would grow to resent me. And the one who would suffer the most would be Isabel. She would know, Sydney. She would feel it. She deserves better than that." He pauses and then adds, "We all do."

I squeeze my eyes shut, as I realize there's no changing his mind. I slowly open my eyes and look at him.

My chin trembles as I take a step forward and place a hand on his cheek. "I am so sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

He nods. "I know you didn't. And I want you to know I don't regret a moment we spent together. I don't regret marrying you. I don't regret being that little girl's father. And if I knew what I know now I'd still do it all over again. For two wonderful years, I got to be with the woman I love. I got to have a family. I'm lucky, Syd. Some people go their whole lives never getting to have that. And for that I am grateful to you. For that I'll always be grateful."

He brings his thumb up and wipes at my cheek. I squeeze my eyes shut, as the tears sting my eyelids. I slowly open them back up again and bring my lips to his in a soft kiss. After a few moments, he pulls away from me abruptly, grabs his keys, and walks out the front door.

I'm left standing there, tears streaming down my cheeks.

---  
End of Part 3

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it and please let me know what you thought. Steph


	4. Chapter 4

**Title**: Bless the Broken Road  
**Author**: Steph  
**Rating**: PG  
**POV**: Sydney/Vaughn  
**Pairing**: Syd/Vaughn, Syd/Will, Weiss/Vaughn friendship  
**Category**: Romance/Drama  
**Disclaimer**: I do this out of a love for the show. No infringement is intended.  
**Spoilers**: General season 5 and memorable Syd/Vaughn moments.  
**Summary**: After five years, Vaughn returns from the dead to find Sydney married and raising their daughter with Will.

**Notes**: Thanks for all of your great feedback! I appreciate it! Okay, so this is why I don't do multiple part stories. The thing was done when I posted the first part, but I couldn't stop tinkering. It's actually pretty different because I kept thinking of things that needed to be added in. So, this story is now 5 parts. So the next one should be the LAST one…Seriously. Hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you thought. -Steph

**--- Bless the Broken Road: Part 4/5 ---**

I sit on the park bench, the crisp night air blowing through my hair. I can't get Sydney's face out of my head. I can still feel her lips on my cheek. I said I would follow her lead. Her lead seems to be saying we have a chance. I guess I have to hold onto that.

I hear the crunch of grass beneath his feet before I hear his voice.

"Sydney told me you came here to watch them. To make sure they were okay."

I don't say a word. He sits down next to me. He stares straight ahead, eyes focused on the swing set.

"I proposed to Sydney right here on this bench," he says softly.

I swallow hard. Why is he here? Why is he telling me this? I'm not sure I can stand hearing this.

He goes on. "It was August and it was so hot. Isabel had been begging Sydney for ice cream all day long. The ice cream truck stopped at the curb and I gave Isabel money to get some ice cream. I watched her as she ran towards the truck, smiling and laughing. Then I looked at Sydney. Her eyes were filled with such love for that little girl. I knew she would give her the world if she could. And I thought why shouldn't that child have the family she deserves?" He pauses and then says, "So, I said 'marry me'."

I look down at my hands. I'm not sure if he expects a response, but I can't seem to form any words.

His lips curl into a smile. "I think she thought I was crazy at first, but then she started to see how good we could be together. All three of us." His smile fades away. "I knew she wasn't in love with me, but I guess a part of me hoped that maybe someday..."

His voice trails off. He's silent for a few moments before turning to look at me. "I should have known I never had a chance. Dead or alive, she gave her heart away to you a long time ago."

I take a deep breath and finally find some words. "Why are you telling me all of this?"

"Because I heard you two tonight."

My eyes widen. He goes on. "You're not the only one who imagined a future with Sydney. I honestly thought we'd grow old together. It was enough for me to just be a part of her life, to get to love her." He lets out a breath. "But I know that's not possible now. I know I have to let her go."

I feel my heart start to race at what he's just said. He's letting her go. I turn to look at him. His features are soft, but his eyes are clouded with emotion. I feel a strange combination of happiness, sadness, and guilt.

I lower my eyes. "I didn't say or do anything to try to break-..."

He nods. "I know you didn't. You didn't have to. I saw it in Sydney's eyes the moment you came back. Hearing her with you just made me come to terms with it."

He stops and smiles, his eyes taking on a faraway look. "I remember the first time I ever saw her. We had a class together. She sat front row center, when everyone else was battling for the seats in the back. I was late, as usual, and the only seat left was right next to her. I remember seeing her face for the first time and thinking she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I also remember thinking she was so out of my league that I could probably drop dead right next to her and she wouldn't notice," he says with a chuckle. His voice then grows softer. "But I hadn't even finished sitting down and she turned and smiled at me. And I remember thinking she's different. Turns out, I had no idea."

I stare at the broken man before me, knowing I am in some way responsible for his pain. And just when I feel overwhelmed with guilt for tearing his life apart he says...

"I'm a better man for having loved her and that little girl." He then meets my eyes. "Take care of them."

With that, he stands and walks away. I watch him go and realize for the first time that he's a better man than I am. He loves Sydney enough to put her happiness first. He loves her enough to let her go.

---

I sigh as I remove Will's shaving cream from the medicine cabinet and place it in a box. I still can't believe this is happening.

I feel so conflicted. I know Will is right. I'm still in love with Vaughn and it's not fair to Will to act as if I'm not.

But we were a family. We were the only real family I've ever known. How can it just be over?

I hear her tiny voice and I'm thrown from my thoughts. I walk to the bathroom door and peer into the bedroom.

Isabel is standing next to the bed, watching Will pack his things.

"What are you doing? Are you going on a business trip?"

I feel my heart drop. She's not supposed to be home. The babysitter must have dropped her off early. We've been trying to tell her for three weeks now, but we could never seem to find the words. And then it just seemed easier to have Will move out and then explain things. I wonder now who we thought that would be easier for. It's clear we can no longer avoid the inevitable.

Will looks down at her. "No, I'm not going on a trip."

Her brow furrows. "Then why are you packing all of your stuff?"

He looks down at his things and takes a deep breath. I know I should go out there. I know I should tell him with her. It's my place to do this. I'm her mother. But I can't seem to move from my spot.

He sits down on the bed and pulls her onto his lap.

"Isabel, I have something to tell you. It's not going to be easy to hear, but you're a strong and brave little girl so I know you can handle it."

She nods, but her eyes betray her words. "I can take it."

He swallows hard. "I'm not going to be living here with you and Mommy anymore."

Her brow wrinkles. "What do you mean? Where are you going to live?"

"I'm going to live in an apartment."

"Why?"

"Because your mommy and I aren't going to be married anymore."

Her bottom lip starts to quiver and her chin begins to tremble. Tears spring to her eyes, but she blinks them back. I'm frozen in place. I can't find the courage to do what I know I should. I can't look into her eyes and know I put that pain there.

"I don't understand. Don't you love each other anymore?"

Will nods. "Yes, we'll always love each other."

"Then why can't you stay married?"

Will sighs and shakes his head. "It's complicated."

Her eyes narrow. "That's grown-up talk for I-don't-want-to-explain-it-to-the-kid."

Will chuckles. "Yeah, pretty much."

She looks up at him, her eyes wide and her voice tiny. "It's because of him, isn't it?"

Will looks down at her, but doesn't respond. She goes on. "It's because he came back."

"It's not that simple."

"Seems simple to me. He's not here, we're fine and happy. He's here, not fine and not happy."

She lowers her head then and a single tear rolls down her cheek. I squeeze my eyes shut, my own tears beginning to sting my eyelids. I open my eyes again. Will wipes away her tear with his thumb.

"I know this is going to be hard, but we'll still see each other all the time. We'll go to the park and the library, just like we used to."

"That's what you say now, but then you'll get busy or get a new family. You'll forget about me."

I feel my chest begin to tighten and my throat start to burn.

"Hey," Will says, as he brings his thumb and forefinger up to her chin and tilts her head up to look at him. "That could never happen in a million years. You're unforgettable. You're my family, no matter where I live. I'll always make time for you. I love you. That will never change."

Isabel folds her arms over chest.

"I hate him," she says softly.

Will shakes his head. "No, you don't. This isn't his fault. He loves you and your mommy, just like I do. I can't blame him for that. I understand that too well. This isn't anyone's fault, Isabel. It's just the way it is."

She sticks her bottom lip out. "Well, it stinks."

Will laughs. "Yeah, it does."

Then he places a kiss on her forehead and cradles her in his arms. And I realize for the first time that I may never see that again.

---

The doorbell rings and I walk to the door to answer it. The door swings open and my eyes land on Isabel. I'd be happy she came to see me if it weren't for the look in her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" I ask.

She gestures to a car behind her, parked at the curb. "I needed to see you. My baby-sitter was supposed to bring me to the park, but I convinced her to bring me to see you instead. She likes Kit-Kats. I gave her a whole bag."

My eyes narrow. "Isabel, you shouldn't have done that. Now Mommy doesn't know where you are."

She shrugs and walks past me. I close the door behind her. She walks to the couch and sits down. I join her.

"Look, if you ever need to see me all you have to do is call and-..."

She shakes her head. "No, you don't get it. I came to tell you I don't want to see you ever again."

I feel the air go out of my lungs, as I realize what this is about. She knows about Will leaving. And she blames me.

"Isabel," I say softly.

She looks down at her hands. "You made him leave."

I reach my hand out to touch her, but think better of it. "I know about Mommy and Will. I'm sorry. But I didn't do anything. It was Will's choice."

She looks up at me with glassy eyes. "He did it because of you. Everything was fine until you came back." She shakes her head sadly. "I was just starting to get to know you, to like you. And then this happened. Now I don't know if I'll ever like you."

I feel like she just punched me in the stomach. The thought of her and Sydney is what kept me going all those years. And now she's sitting here hating me for what's happened.

"You can hate me if you want, Isabel. That's your right. But I'm your father and I need you to know that nothing you ever say or do will make me stop loving you." I touch her chin, so she'll look at me. "The thought of you got me through those five years."

I want her to understand how much she means to me. I need her to understand.

She sighs, "I'll probably never see him again, you know. He says we will but people say lots of things."

I shake my head. "He loves you. This doesn't change that." I pause and then add, "My relationship with your mother has taught me a lot, but the greatest lesson I've learned is that love doesn't end because of separation or death. If you really love somebody and they love you, then they're always with you. That's how it was for me with you and your mom. And that's how it will be with you and Will."

She wipes at her nose with the back of her hand. "We were a family. The only family I've ever known."

I nod. "I know. I'm sorry."

She shakes her head. "No, you're not. You want me and Mommy to be your family. Then Daddy will have no one. You're selfish."

The words sting me to my core and I squeeze my eyes shut. The hardest part is she's right. I am selfish. I want us to be a family. I guess I feel like I deserve that, like we deserve that. The problem is I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. That's not true for everyone else involved.

I bob my head. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I am selfish. I do want us to be a family. But that doesn't mean I don't want Will to be a part of your life. You love him and he loves you. He makes you happy. I would never try to take that away from you."

She looks up at me and her face softens. She smiles sadly. "I don't hate you. I just don't like you much right now. I'm a kid. I change my mind a lot. Don't worry, it won't last forever."

I smile and reluctantly put my arm around her shoulders. She doesn't pull away and I take that as a good sign.

"That's good to know," I say.

---

I carry the last box down the walk and place it in the truck. Will's right behind me, holding his keys in his hands.

"Well, I guess that's it," he says.

I cross my arms over my chest and nod. "Yeah, I guess."

Our eyes meet and hold for a minute. I see the pain in his eyes and it's almost too much to bear. I look down at my feet. "If you forgot anything I'll-..."

"Just hold onto it. I'll come by to pick it up."

I raise my eyes to his. "You know you can come over whenever you like, right? I mean, Isabel expects to see you."

He nods. "I know. I'm not going to disappear from that little girl's life."

"Good." I pause and then add, "I don't want you to disappear from mine either. I don't know where I'd be without you."

"You'd be fine, Syd. You will be fine."

"But our friendship...everything we had was based on that friendship. I don't know what I'd do if I thought I had ruined that...if I lost that."

Will shakes his head and says softly, "You'll never lose me, Syd."

We fall into an uncomfortable silence then, until he breaks it. "Well, I better get going. I only have the truck rented for a couple of hours." He starts to move to the driver's side, but my voice stops him.

"I want you to know I was happy." He turns to look at me. "You made me happy. I know I couldn't give you what you deserved and I'm sorry for that. But you did make me happy, Will, and you gave me my first real family. I'll always be grateful to you for that."

He bobs his head, his smile sad. "But it wasn't enough."

I move my eyes to the ground. He offers me one last look and then opens the driver's side door and gets in. I watch as he drives away, paying no attention to the tears cascading down my cheeks and falling to the pavement.

---

I sit down behind her, as I did all of those years ago when she could hide from everyone but me. I've been calling her for three weeks.

"I knew I'd find you here. I didn't even have to go anywhere else this time."

"Vaughn," she says softly.

"Why are you trying to hide from me?" I ask.

"It's not about you," she replies.

I stand up and go sit down next to her. Her legs are pulled up to her chest and her face is tearstained. Her eyes are red-rimmed and swollen.

I bring my hand up to her cheek and caress it. She closes her eyes and leans into my palm.

"What happened?" I ask.

I know what happened. I know why she's been hiding from me, but she probably has no idea I know. I can't seem to bring myself to tell her for some reason.

She opens her eyes, but quickly moves them to her lap. "I don't think I can do this right now."

"Well, you don't have a choice because I'm not leaving you."

She takes a deep breath and wipes at a tear on her cheek. "Will's gone."

I try to sound appropriately surprised. "What do you mean he's gone?"

"I mean my marriage is over. He ended it. He left today."

"I'm sorry."

She offers me a bitter smile. "No, you're not."

I'm taken aback by her tone. "Yes, I am. I didn't want this to happen."

She looks me in the eye. "You said you didn't want to interfere in my marriage. And you didn't. You didn't do anything. But it was in your words. It was in your eyes."

I sigh and shake my head. "I won't pretend that I didn't want you back the moment I saw you. That I didn't want us to be a family." I pause and then look at her. "And you can't pretend either."

She scoffs at that. "Apparently. Will saw right through me. He knew." She smiles sadly. "It's funny, you know. I spent so many years deceiving people. I used to be a master at pretending. But I've never been able to pretend when it came to you." She shakes her head. "Will deserved so much better than I gave him."

I take her hands in mine and touch her chin, forcing her to look at me. "I know this is hard. You feel guilty for hurting Will. But I need you to see what I see. We have a chance, Sydney. We have a chance to be a family. You, me, and Isabel."

"I can't even think about that right now," she says, shaking her head.

"Why not?" I ask sharply. I pause and swallow hard. "We've already lost so much time, Syd. I need you to know that I never stopped loving you and I know you never stopped loving me. I saw it in your eyes the moment I saw you again."

She meets my gaze, her eyes clouded by a million emotions. "Maybe it's not enough, Vaughn. Maybe there's a reason we've been pulled apart so many times. Maybe we're not meant to be."

I feel my throat begin to tighten. "You don't really believe that. If that were true, then we wouldn't keep finding our way back to each other."

She wipes at her face with the back of her hand. "I just need some time...to sort all this out."

I rub my thumb over the soft skin of her hand. "I've waited this long, Sydney. I'll never stop waiting for you. When you're ready, you know where to find me."

With that, I stand up and walk away, hoping I'll never have to walk away from her again.

---

**End of Part 4**

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it and please let me know what you thought. -Steph


	5. Chapter 5

**Title**: Bless the Broken Road  
**Author**: Steph  
**Rating**: PG  
**POV**: Sydney/Vaughn  
**Pairing**: Syd/Vaughn, Syd/Will, Weiss/Vaughn friendship  
**Category**: Romance/Drama  
**Disclaimer**: I do this out of a love for the show. No infringement is intended.  
**Spoilers:** General season 5 and memorable Syd/Vaughn moments.  
**Summary**: After five years, Vaughn returns from the dead to find Sydney married and raising their daughter with Will.

**Notes**: Thanks for your great feedback! I appreciate it! Okay so...drumroll please...this is actually the LAST chapter! Seriously! For real this time! I hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you thought one last time. -Steph

**--- Bless the Broken Road: Part 5/5 ---**

I pass by Isabel's room. She's lying on her bed reading. I walk into her room and sit down on the bed. She rolls over and faces away from me.

It's been like this for two weeks. She hasn't spoken a word to me since Will left. I've tried to talk to her, but she ignores me. I figured it was her way of coping and it wouldn't last for more than a few days. I guess I forgot how stubborn and determined my daughter can be.

I run my fingers through her hair and rub her back.

"Stop it," she says softly, but firmly.

It's the first time I've heard her voice in two weeks and it takes me by surprise. I pull my hand back.

"Isabel, we have to talk about this."

"I don't want to talk to you."

"Look, I know you're angry with me, but shutting me out isn't going to help anything. I want you to talk to me."

Isabel sits up and folds her arms over her chest. "This is all your fault."

I sigh. "I understand why you feel that way, but Daddy made his own decision. I didn't ask him to leave."

"You didn't have to. Everything changed the minute my real daddy came back. You changed. He's not dumb, Mommy. He saw that."

I lift my hand and push a stray piece of hair out of her face. "I'm sorry."

She nods and picks up a corner of the bedspread. Her fingers play with the fabric as her voice emerges softly. "I know."

She looks up at me after a few moments. "Are you going to marry my real daddy now?"

My eyes widen. "I don't know. Isabel, I'm just trying to sort everything out right now. I don't want to move to fast."

"But you still love him, don't you?"

I lower my eyes to the bedspread. "Yes, I do."

Isabel nods. "That's what I thought." She pauses and then looks up at me with big eyes. "Do I have to start calling Daddy Will again?"

I shake my head. "No. You've thought of him as your daddy for two years. You can call him whatever you want."

"Well, what about my real daddy? What if I want to call him daddy someday? Won't it get confusing?"

I laugh lightly. "I don't think you have to worry about that right now."

She nods and looks down at her hands. "It's weird here now. The house is so quiet."

I bob my head. "It's going to take some getting used to. But we will make it through this."

She looks up at me. "You know, I do kind of like my real daddy. I mean, I'm mad at him because this wouldn't have happened if he never came back, but he is pretty cool."

I smile. "Yeah, he is."

Her eyes then fill with tears. "Do you think Daddy will feel bad if I start liking him?"

I shake my head. "No, I think he'll understand."

She nods. "Good."

---

I sit on the park bench remembering the last time I sat here. I never expected Will to show up and tell me what he did.

I'm thrown from my thoughts when I hear her voice. I look to my right and find Isabel throwing bread into the pond. Will is kneeling down next to her.

I feel my chest tighten. I know it shouldn't bother me. I know I should only want what makes her happy. Maybe, in time, it will get easier.

It's been a month since I've seen Sydney. I've still been seeing Isabel, but her baby-sitter has been dropping her off at my place. It's hard knowing she's out there and I can't be with her. In some ways, it's harder than the time we were forced to spend apart. At least then I knew it wasn't her choice.

I watch as Will picks Isabel up and she puts her arms around his neck. I wonder if Isabel and I will ever achieve that closeness. It comes so naturally between them. Isabel and I have to work harder at it, especially since Will left. She's not angry with me anymore, but I don't think she can look at me without seeing the man who ruined her family.

But I'm patient. I'll give her and Sydney as much time as they need. I'll always consider them my family, no matter what happens.

---

The doorbell rings and I go to answer it.

I smile at Will and Isabel. "Hey, did you guys have fun?"

Isabel nods enthusiastically. "We fed the ducks."

Will grins down at her. "We sure did. Those are going to be some fat ducks."

Isabel laughs. Will bends down and gives her a hug. "I'll see you on Wednesday. We'll go to the library."

Isabel nods and kisses his cheek. She then runs upstairs. I watch her go, relief flooding through me. She's going to be okay. This situation isn't ideal, but she's going to make it.

I look back at Will. "Thank you. She always has so much fun with you."

He shakes his head. "Syd, you know you don't have to thank me. I love spending time with her."

I nod. "I know. And I realize this situation isn't easy for you."

He shrugs his shoulders. "No, it isn't, but I'm dealing with it. I'm adjusting, moving on." He pauses and then eyes me. "Are you?"

I look down at the ground. "I'm doing the best I can."

"When was the last time you talked to Vaughn?"

I raise my eyes up to look at him. "Why do you want to know that?"

"Because I can tell you're not happy, Syd."

I shrug my shoulders. "Will, I had a family for two years and now that's gone. It's only been a month since you left. I'm just trying to take things slow."

He nods. "I understand that. And maybe I'm crazy for saying this but if you want to be with Vaughn you should do it."

My eyes widen. "After everything I put you through, how can you even say that?"

Will smiles sadly at me. "Syd, all I've ever wanted is for you to be happy. When I was in that stupid witness protection program and I found out you were alive...I used to stay up nights thinking about you. Even though I couldn't be with you in any way, I hoped you were happy. It gave me comfort to imagine that you were. You'd been through so much and you deserved that." He pauses and swallows hard, "Vaughn makes you happy. If I thought otherwise, I never would have left. Syd, you've seen what wasting time can do. If you want to be with him, you need to tell him." He pauses and then exhales deeply. "Or else all of this...was for nothing."

I feel tears spring to my eyes. I take a step forward and wrap my arms around Will. I feel his arms slowly embrace me.

"You're an incredible man," I whisper in his ear.

He pulls back and smiles at me. "Yeah, I am pretty incredible."

I laugh through my tears. "Thank you," I say softly.

He offers me one last smile and a little wave before turning on his heel and leaving.

---

I open the door on the second ring and smile down at Isabel.

"Hi," I say.

"Hi," she replies and walks past me.

I close the door behind her and follow her into the living room. She sits down on the couch and picks up the remote control. She begins to go through the channels at lightning speed.

"So, what do you want to do today?" I ask.

She shrugs and leans her head back on the couch. "This."

"You want to watch TV again? We've done that the last two times we saw each other."

"So?"

"Well, I was just thinking we could do something fun. Something different. Maybe we could go to the park."

She turns to me and gives me a piercing look. "That's what I do with my daddy."

I swallow hard. "Okay, well, is there something else you'd like to do?"

She stares at me for a few moments, her brow narrowing in deep thought. She then waves her hand around.

"When are you going to get your own place? You can't live with Uncle Eric forever."

The abrupt change of subject and out-of-nowhere question takes me by surprise.

"Uh..." I reply eloquently.

"You've been back for a while now. It's time to get back on your feet."

A small smile pulls at my lips. "How old are you again?"

She leans back into the couch and folds her arms over her chest. "What are you waiting for?"

I stop and think about that for a moment. The truth is, I've been stuck in limbo since I came back. I decided I want to go back to teaching, but I haven't done anything about it. I haven't even started to look for an apartment. I guess I've been waiting to see what happens with Sydney. I feel like I can't move forward until I know where we stand. And, truth be told, I can't imagine moving forward without her and Isabel.

I shrug my shoulders. "I don't know."

She shakes her head. "Yes, you do. You're waiting for mommy."

I smile and run a hand through my hair. I nod. "I guess I am." I pause and then ask, "How is your mom?"

She looks back at the television. "Sad a lot."

I look down at my hands.

"Because of Will."

"That's part of it. But mostly it's because of you."

I feel my chest tighten. The last thing I ever wanted to do was make Sydney sad.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she wants to be with you, but she's just not quite ready. So that makes her sad."

I take a deep breath, heartened by the fact that she hasn't changed her mind. She just needs time.

I look at her for a long moment and smile. "How did you get to be so smart?"

She shrugs her shoulders and smiles. "Just born that way, I guess."

I laugh and shake my head. I realize now that our relationship is going to take time and work. It's not going to be easy, but it'll definitely be worth it.

---

I finish dusting the night table and move to my bureau. I stop abruptly when my eyes land on our wedding photo. I pick up the picture and run my fingers across the glass. Will and I are smiling and looking down at Isabel, who's standing between us holding our hands.

We all look so happy. We were happy.

I wonder if Vaughn had never come back if that happiness would have lasted. Could a marriage built on mutual love for a little girl, friendship, and a desire to feel safe and comfortable really last? Or would we have grown apart eventually? Would Will have come to resent the fact that I could never love him the way he deserved to be loved? Would my memory of the passion and love I had and lost leave me dissatisfied?

I shake my head. That's the funny thing about life. No one knows what the future holds. I've experienced enough twists and turns to know that's the truth. All anyone can do is make the best choices for them, knowing what they do of the present and what they hope for the future.

I sigh and look down at the simple gold band on my ring finger. Will's proposal was so spur of the moment that I never did get an engagement ring. I think of what that ring meant and how it's all gone now.

Slowly, I bring my other hand up to the ring and twist it. I twist until it slides off my finger. I look at the mark it left on my finger and realize that's that remains of what we had.

I open my jewelry box and place it inside. I then open the top drawer of my bureau and lift out a few sweaters. In the corner at the back is a small black box. I pick it up and hold it in my hands. Fingers trembling, I open the box. Tears spring to my eyes at the sight of the engagement ring Vaughn gave me.

Will never knew it was there. I would pull it out every once in a while, when I was missing Vaughn more than usual, and just look at it. My heart would break and I'd cry for the unfulfilled promises it once held. I stare at it now, realizing for the first time that those promises can be fulfilled.

And, for the first time, I cry tears of happiness.

---

"Where are you going?" Weiss asks me, as I pull my jacket on.

I throw him a look.

He shakes his head. "Are you serious? It's been what? Two months since Will left. You've gone there every night for two months, Mike. Maybe she's not going to come. You haven't even spoken in all that time."

I shrug my shoulders. "I'm giving her the time she needs."

"And what if she never comes?"

"She'll come."

"You don't know that."

I nod. "Yes, I do."

He sighs and shakes his head. "Well, could you at least bring me back some food this time? A corn dog? Maybe a pretzel? I'm starving."

I smile. "You're always starving."

"No, seriously, I had, like three Cheez-its and a grape for lunch."

I bob my head. "Okay, I'll bring you back something. It's gonna be late though."

"That's okay."

I turn on my heel to leave but his voice stops me. "Good luck."

I smile and continue on my way.

---

It's funny how things come full circle. The first time I realized there was something between us, something real and true and lasting, was right here. And here we are again.

I see him. He's leaning against the railing, looking out at the water. His hair sways softly in the wind and the moonlight illuminates half his face.

I come to stand beside him.

"I knew you'd be here."

He doesn't look at me, but responds softly. "I've been here every night for the last two months."

I raise my eyebrows. "You haven't really-..."

"I told you I'd be waiting," he replies, cutting me off, as he turns his head to look at me.

I place my hand over his, just as I did all of those years ago, when he was my only lifeline.

"I'm here now."

His eyes meet mine and I see the love and desire in them.

"This is it," he says softly.

"What do you mean?"

"This is the last time we'll ever have to find our way back to each other. I'm never letting you go again." He then brings his hand up to my cheek and caresses it. "I love you," he whispers.

"I love you, too," I say through tears.

It's then that he lowers his lips down to mine. I dig my fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck and pull him deeper into the kiss. God, I've missed this so much. All of our undying love and passion is expressed in that one kiss.

We pull back and I place my head on his shoulder. His strong arms wrap around me and I'm sure there's no place on earth I'd rather be.

---

-One Year Later-

"No fair!" Isabel screams and slams her stick down on the ice.

Sydney and I exchange a look. Isabel skates toward us and fixes us with one of her patented glares.

"Mommy, you're not on Daddy's team. You're on my team. You have to stop touching him and pay attention. We're losing here!"

I smile, never tiring of hearing her call me that. It took her about six months, but she got used to it. She still calls Will daddy, too. It bothered me at first, but I've adjusted the best I can. I can't expect her to stop calling him that. She still thinks of him as her father. How can I blame her? That's what he was for two years and nothing can change that. Truth is, I could think of worse things than two men loving and protecting that amazing little girl.

They still see each other all the time. Isabel sleeps over his house some weekends and he takes her to the park or the library on some days during the week. Will and I have formed a tentative friendship for Sydney and Isabel's sake.

I skate close to Sydney and give her a kiss on the lips, just to annoy Isabel.

She wrinkles her nose. "Eww!"

Sydney and I laugh. I pick Isabel up. "Daddy loves Mommy. That's what you do when you love somebody." I then proceed to kiss her until she giggles.

Sydney brings her hand up and runs her fingers through my hair and down my neck, her smiling eyes meeting mine. She gives Isabel a kiss on the nose.

"Daddy's right," she says. "Kisses show love."

She crinkles her nose. "You do know human mouths are filled with bacteria, don't you?"

I shake my head at Sydney and smile. "I don't think we should have put her in that Gifted and Talented class."

Isabel wriggles free of my grip and slides back down to the ice. We watch as she takes the puck and heads toward her goal.

I raise an eyebrow at Sydney. "She's good. I'm thinking Olympics 2022."

Sydney shakes her head. "Oh no. No way."

"Why? She's a natural. Like her father."

Sydney smiles. "And a sore loser. Like her father."

I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her closer to me. "I always thought you liked that about me."

She grins seductively and whispers into my lips, "You, Mr. Vaughn, have a number of, shall we say, appealing qualities." My heart beats faster as I ready for her lips to meet mine. Instead, she gently pushes me away and laughs. "And your sportsmanship, or lack thereof, isn't one of them."

I raise my eyebrows at that and watch as she skates away. I chase after her and grab her by the waist. I spin her around and pin her up against the wall with my body, as I allow my breath to tickle her skin. "How about we go back to our room then and pay a little attention to those appealing qualities?"

She giggles and kisses my neck.

"Okay, what is this, hockey porn?" comes a familiar, annoying voice.

I groan and pull away from Sydney. I glare at Weiss, who's chomping on a hot dog.

"Do you mind?" I say.

He raises his eyebrows. "Me? No, I don't mind. But the other 25 families who came here to have a little fun, not watch you two go at it like a couple of horny teenagers, might."

I sigh. "It's our honeymoon. You could cut us a little slack."

He shakes his head. "Uh, I don't think so. I have no more slack to cut. I'm slack-less. Look, I only agreed to this weird little family honeymoon because it was a free trip with, you know, free food and lots of hot women. You said you wanted a family honeymoon with Isabel, but you also wanted to have someone to watch her when you wanted some alone time. So I agreed to play the part of Mary Poppins. But we've been on this cruise eight days. Eight days. And you know what I have to show for it? Two sunburns. Yeah, that's right, it's possible. It's called layering. $500 lost in gambling. Three missed midnight buffets because I had to watch your kid. And eight sleepless nights because I've had to share a room with your daughter who sounds like a rhino...dying. So excuse me if I don't feel like losing my lunch watching you two."

Sydney smiles and pats Weiss on the shoulder. "Thanks for everything."

"Yeah, whatever," he grumbles.

Isabel tugs on his shirt and he looks down at her.

"I know. They're disgusting," she says.

Sydney and I exchange a smile.

He shrugs. "It's called love, kid. You'll understand someday. Probably before me."

**----------------------------------------THE END----------------------------------------  
**Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it and please let me know what you thought. -Steph


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